Nothing makes an Israeli happier than a good deal (honest or not). But who talks about education, our anti-democratic legislation or weapons exports?

In the end ‏(in the beginning too, actually‏) everything here is about money. Nothing shakes Israelis out of their indifference but money. Hardly anything interests them but their wealth ‏(or poverty‏).

Of course everybody puts money first because there is not much you can
do without it. The peace process and criticizing the government doesn't
pay the bills money does. The political system is dysfunctional and
needs to be reformed but it is still democratic with 1 man vote and
thats why we have everybody from rabbis - arabs in the Knesset. As for
the arms industry your criticizing that industry more than any other has
been Israel's economic savior. Other than the weapons themselves some of
which are big sellers and earn the country billions but also things like
Israels hi-tec industry is a spin off that came about from the
investment in the arms industry. Think how high unemployment would be
and the state of the economy without that arms industry. Its also been
very good at establishing diplomatic relations with other countries.
Our relationship went from being one of no relations to India becoming
Israels best friend after America overnnight and the reason is India
fell in love with Israeli weapons, along with Russia we are the largest
supplier of weapons to the Indian military. The diplomatic relations
with Turkey to a large extent developed on weapons exports to Turkey not
Jaffa oranages So Gideon apart from its very own survival in wartime
just think how much worse off Israel would be without a booming arms
trade.

I often see Mr Levy strolling down the street in front of my shop with
his daughter ( or girlfriend) he seems completely oblivious to the
plight of every shop keeper, trader and the few shoppers that we've seen
this last month. Yes money is first on our minds , youre damn right it
is, the only thing that will defeat me is the bank and this disgusting
greedy self obsessed government . Gideon Levy ...you havent got a clue!

One of the best analysis of the country´s problems I have read in
a long time. Finally an Israeli dares to speak out about them and see
the bigger picture instead of focusing on blaming the rest of the world
for its problems. Bravo!

If you have to "...take South Africa for example", then you
know tragically little about South Africa's serious government
corruption - that has reduced the average South African citizen to
abject poverty. Yes people in Israel do indeed count their money, so
what? And why not? Counting one's money is a universal, global human
behaviour. The level of social conscience in Israel is very high in
comparison to so many countries in the so-called free world. Ask
yourself how and why it is that Israel is always among the very first to
help countries after natural catastrophes. Come to Rehovot to see how
African and Asian students study agriculture. We are a seriously caring
people who continually contribute to science and agriculture. To use
South Africa as an example for us to follow is both asinine and
contemptuous of Israeli society...there's no need for this kind of
nonsense. Let's discuss this again when a South African person wins
his/her first Nobel Prize.

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